Multicolor-printing press.



Patentepl Apr. 8, [902;

J. E. CAPS.

MULTICOLOR PRINTING PRESS.

{Application filed Mar. 8, 1901.

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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N0. 696,938. Patented Apr. 8, I902. J. E. CAPS.

MULTICOLOR PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed Mar. 8, 1001.1

(llo Model.)

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J. E. CIAPS.

MULTICOLUR PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed Mar. 8, 1901.| (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT muss.

JOHN EDWARD CAPS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

IVIULTICOLOR=PRINTING PRESS.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,938, dated April 8, 1902.

Application filed March 8, 1901.

To all whom it nutty concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN EDWARD CAPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Multicolor-Printing Press, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improve ments in multicolor-printing presses of that type known as rotary presses and designed with special reference to printing in any number of positive colors from a stereotype or other plate.

The object of the invention in its broadest aspect is to provide means whereby printing" may be done in several different colors without the possibility of the different colored inks becoming mixed or blended.

In another aspect the object of the invention is to provide novel means for readily adjusting the type form or plate, the ink-distributing mechanism, and the compartments of the ink-fountain with such absolute nicety or uniformity of arrangement as will permit the bands of different-colored ink to cover just such portions of the plate or form as may be desired and to be disposed in closelyadjacent relation without danger of the objectionable blending referred to.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vibratory distributer consisting of a vibrating shaft equipped with adjustable and removable disks arranged to transfer ink from the dip-roll to the form-rolls and capable of being grouped upon the shaft in a manner to form one or more distributing-cylinders of such dimensions as will properly correspond to the width of the color strip determined by the dimensions of the contiguous ink-compartment of the fountain; and a still further object is to equip a press of this character with regulating mechanism for regulat ing the vibration of the vibratory distributor and capable of effecting such regulation with- Serinl No. 50,373. (No model.)

tion of so much of a printing-press as is necessary to illustrate the construction and application of the improvements comprehended by the invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the subject-matter of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail view, on a somewhat-enlarged scale,of the regulating mechanism for the vibrating distributer. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, the regulator-block being depressed to present the outer axis of the upper link in axial relation with the fulcrum 0f the vibrator. Fig. 6 is adetail sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a detail view, partly in section, illustrating the manner in which the distributer-disks are keyed upon the distributer-shaft. Fig. 8 is another detail view, partly in section, of the subjectmatter of Fig. 7, certain of the disks being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 9 is a plan view similar to Fig. 2, on a somewhat enlarged scale, with the roller 8 removed and showing the relation of the'corresponding scales or graduations of the ink-fountain, distributorshaft, and cylinder.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

1 indicates the frame of a rotary multicolorpress; 2, the rotary platen or impression-cylinder; 3, the press or type-carrying cylinder, forming a bed or support for the type-form or form-plate 4; 5 and 6, the usual formrolls, disposed to distribute the ink to the type-form or plate 4:, and 7 the ink-fountain, from which the ink is conveyed to the f ormrolls by intermediate distributing mechanism. The several elements mentioned are common in that type of press to which my invention appertains, as also are the distributing-rolls 8 and 9, located at the top of the press and designed to receive the ink from a laterally-movable dip-roll l0, operated by suitable mechanism, in a manner well understood in the art, to transfer ink from the fountain-roll 11 to the adjacent distributing roll 9, from whence the ink is transferred to the distributing-roll 8, arranged in contact with the main distributing-cylinder, which in the present embodiment of the distributing mechanism is comprehended by what I shall term a vibratory distributor 12, arranged I to deliver the ink to the form-rolls 5 and 6 for transmission to the type-form, which is usually a stereotype or other plate 4. The required rotary movement is imparted to the several cylinders and rolls from a suitable source of power, (not illustrated,) and uniformity of movement of the several rotary elements is secured bymeans of a train of gearing the individual gears of which are mounted upon the several roll and cylinder shafts, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. This method of transmitting motion to the cooperating members of the press is usual, and the only peculiarity to be noted in this regard is the fact that the spur gear or pinion 13 of the vibratory distributer 12 is somewhat wider than the gears with which it is intermeshed, so that the cooperative engagement of the vibratory distributer with its immediately-adjacent rolls will not be affected by the vibratory movement or longitudinal reciprocation of the vibratory shaft 14: in a manner and for a purpose to be hereinafter made plain.

The ink-fountain 7 is disposed horizontally across the press at the rear side of the top thereof and has the usual trough-like form, so that the printers ink will flow freely against the fountain-roll for transference to the diproll, and thence to the several other distributing-rolls, and finally to the plate. It has been found to be difficult under ordinary circumstances to employ a press of this type for multicolor and chromatic printing, for the reason that in printing with a number of positive colors simultaneously the tendency has been for the inks of different color to intermix or blend, resulting in chromatic printing instead of in the separate positive colors desired. As I have already stated, the primary object of this invention is to equip the printing-press in a manner to insure the separation of the ink of difierent colors to prevent blending thereof, while enabling the different bands or stripes of color applied to the type-form to closely approach each other and to be defined by lines of division exactly at those points upon the form necessary to the securing of the proper color effects. To the accomplishment of this end I mark, as by engraving or other form of imprinting, a series of graduations 15 upon the bottom of the ink-fountain 7, said graduations constituting a scale subdivided--as, for instance, in inches-to facilitate the proper positioning of the movable walls or partitions 16, which subdivide the ink-fountain into a number of separate compartments for the reception of ink of different colors. The partitions 16 are preferably an inch and a quarter in width, so that the stripes or bands of ink upon the founlain-roller, as well as upon the dip-roll and the distributing-roll 9, will be well separated to prevent intermixing or blending.

It is well understood by those skilled in printing, particularly those skilled in printin g from plates, that lateral movement or vibration of one or more of the distributing elements is necessary in order to eflect the most uniform distribution of the printing-ink upon the form-rolls which deliver the ink directly to the plate or other printing-surface. I have therefore incorporated in my press a vibratory distributer comprehending, as stated, a distributer-shaft 14, to which longitudinal movement or reciprocation is designed to be imparted by suitable mechanism to be described. Upon this shaft are designed to be grouped a plurality of distributer-disks 17 of any suitable width, but preferably about onehalf inch in width or thickness, so that the dimensions of the individual cylinder or section made up of the disks may be nicely regulated in accordance with the width of the inkcompartment designed to be served by the individual cylinder-section. In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have shown three of these distributing-cylinder sections 18, 19, and 20, made up of series of distributer-disks 17 and arranged to serve the ink-compartments 21, 22, and 23, (see Fig. 2,) the spaces between the cylinder-sections being substantially equal to the thickness of the partitions 16, which separate the ink-compartments.

We have seen that the adjustment of the fountain-partitions 16 is facilitated by the graduations 15 of the fountain, and it is evident that the adjustment of the disks 17 upon the distributer-shaft 14 may be similarly facilitated by a series of graduations or a scale 24 upon said shaft and marked off in unison or consonance with the graduations of the fountain. This provision of corresponding scales upon the ink-fountain and distributershaft makes it possible for the operator to note at a glance the graduations of the fountain-scale defining the limits of the ink-receptacles and to immediately set the cylintier-sections of the vibratory distributer at the corresponding graduations of the distributer-scale, by which term the distributorscale upon the shaft may be designated. When fountain-partitions 16 having a thickness of an inch and a quarter are employed, the throw or vibration of the vibratory distributer should be approximately one inch, so that the color stripes conveyed to or distributed upon the form-rolls by the cylindersections 18, 19, and 20 will be separated by only one-quarter of an inch, thereby enabling the characters of different colors to be located in closely-adjacent relation upon the plate. Obviously, however, the width of the partitions, the throw of the vibratory distributer, and the degree of separation of the color stripes are susceptible to wide variation in accordance with the desires of the operator and the character of the work to be done.

The proper location of the plate or typeform upon the rotary-press cylinder or chase is quite as important as the proper determination of the relation between the ink-compartments and the distributer-cylinder sections, since the plate or type-form must bear a definite relation to the stripes of color transferred to the form-rolls in order that the inks of various colors may be distributed upon just such portions of the impression-surface as may be intended to secure the necessary efiects. Accordingly the press or type-carrying cylinder 3 is provided with a series of graduations 25, corresponding to the graduations upon the distributer shaft and inkfountain, so that the form-plate 4 will be positioned between those graduations 25 of the press-scale which correspond to the graduations of the distributer-scale at which the cylinder-sections are secured and the graduations of the fountain-scale at which the fountainpartitions are retained, due regard being had, of course, in the positioning of the plate to the extension of the inked surface obtained by the throw or vibration of the vibratory distributer.

Before proceeding with a description of the regulating mechanism employed to regulate hands of positive colors separated by distinct spaces, but capable of being overlapped and interblended by increasing the throw of the vibratory distributer when it is desired to produce chromatic printing or printing in variegated color instead of in separate positive colors.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is illustrated a preferred manner of adjustably securing the individual distributer-disks upon the shaft 14. Each disk is mounted loosely upon the shaft, and the latter is provided with a longitudinal slot or keyway 26 for the reception of a key 27, mounted in a key-socket 28, extending inwardly from the periphery of the disk. The key is formed with a cylindrical body portion 29, having a reduced threaded extremity 30,engagin g an interiorly-threaded portion of the socket, and at the opposite end of the body portion 29 of the key is formed a reduced squared stem 31, which is disposed normally well within the plane of the face of the disk and is designed to be engaged by a detachable key-section 32, the shank of which is in-,

sorted in the outer end of the socket and engaged with the shank of the key for the purpose of rotating the said key to project its ing from positive to chromatic printing or for entirely discontinuing the vibration of the distributer without interfering with its rotary movement. At any suitable point upon the frame of the press, preferably at one end thereof, is supported an outstanding bracket-arm 33, at an intermediate point in the length of which is disposeda fulcrum-stud 3 4, constituting a pivotal support for the upper end of a driving-arm 35 and for the lower end of a driven arm 36. The drivin'g-arm-35 has an operative connection at its lower extremity with a vibrator-cam 37, mounted upon and rotated by an extended end of one of the pressshafts 38, preferably the shaft which in the usual forms of presses constitutes the powershaft, belted or otherwise geared to the lineshaft of a plant. The driven arm 36 has an operative connection at its upper extremity with the extended end of the distributer-shaft 14as, for instance, by means of a stud 39, extending from the driven arm between apair of flanges 40, retained upon the shaft 14--so that while the reciprocation or vibration of the shaft 14 is controlled by the oscillation of the drivenarm 36 the rotation of the distributer will not be interfered with in any position of the vibrator or during the movement of the vibrator from one position to another. Inasmuch as the driven arm 36 is designed to derive its motion from the arm 35, it now becomes necessary to provide means for eifecting an operative connection between these elements; but it should be'borne in mindthat this connection must be of a character to permit when desired the independent oscillation of the driving element without effecting corresponding movement of thedriven arm 36, as it is essential that the movement of the vibratory distributer be capable of regulation or of being completely stopped without interfering in any way with thecontinued rotation of the cam and the consequent oscillation of the driving-arm connected thereto. One form of mechanism for effecting this connection contemplates the employment of a walkingbeam or vibrator 41, pivoted at a point intermediate of its ends at the outer extremity of the bracket 33 and having a pivotal connection withthe outer ends of the driving and driven links 42 and 43, pivotally connected at their inner ends to the driving and driven vibrator 41 at like distances from the axis thereof; but itvwill appear that differential movement of the driving and driven arms may be effected by a change of relation of the outer ends of the links with respect to the axis or pivot of the vibrator-that is to say, it is evident that if the outer end of the link 43 is shifted nearer the pivot 44 of the vibrator the throw of the driven arm will necessarily be decreased, which decrease will amount to the actual stopping of the driven arm, provided the axis of connection between the link 43 and vibrator 41 is moved into ali nement or coaxial relation with the axis 44 of the vibrator, which position is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings. It follows that the shifting of the connection between the link and vibrator will effect the regulation of the vibration of the vibratory distributer, and I have consequently provided simple and effective means for shifting such connection at will. To this end the upper end of the vibrator 41 is formed with an arcuate guideway 45, concentric with the axis of the inner end of the link 43 and designed for the retention and guidance of a link-shifter or regulator-block 46, having pivotal connection with the outer end of the link 43 and designed to be raised or lowered by means of a regulating-screw 47. The regulating-screw 47 is operated by a knurled head 48 upon its upper end and is passed through a swiveled bearing-block 49, carried at the upper extremity of the vibrator, the lower end of the screw having a flexible connection with the block 46 by forming thelower end of the screw with a bearing-ball 50, fittingin a ball-socket 51, located at the upper end of the block and formed in part by a bearing-plate 52, screwed to the block 46 and serving to confine the ball, but to permit such movement thereof as may be necessary to accommodate the change of relation between the block and screw incident to the movement of the block along the arcuate way 45. Accidental displacement of the block is prevented by a locknut 53 upon the screw 47 immediately above the bearing-block 49. When it is desired to change the throw of the vibratory distributer, the operator rotates the regulating-shaft 47, and thereby shifts the block 46 nearer to or farther from the axis of movement of the vibrator, or if it is desired to entirely discontinue the lateral movement of the vibratory distributer the block 46 is depressed by means of the screw until the connection between the outer end of the link 43 and the block is coaxial with the axis of the vibrator, at which time the oscillation of the driven arm will entirely cease without in any wise interrupting Through the operation of the press the d ip=--- roll 10 is alternately presented to the fountain-roll 11 and the distributing-roll 9, to the latter of which it conveys the stripes or bands of ink received by the dip-roll from the fountain-roll. These ink stripes of different colors are in turn distributed. from the roll9 to the roll 8, across the face of which the cylinder-sections of the vibratory distributer operate to receive the ink and to effect just sufficient lateral distribution thereof to insure a proper ink-surface upon the form-rolls 5 and 6 without permitting blending of the different-colored stripes or hands. The formrolls having received the properly-distributed ink from the vibratory distributer transmits it to the type form or plate 4 in well-defined distinct separate bands of color as the press or type-carrying cylinder 3 presents the form to the rolls prior to the printing or impressing of the object to be printed between the form and the rotary platen or impression-cylinder 2. If now it should be desired to decrease the extent of the vibration of the distributer, such may be done by rotating the screw 47 to shift the block 46 to the desired extent, or if chromatic printing is to be done, it is simply necessary to elevate the block 46 for the purpose of extending the lateral movement of the distributer-cylinders sufficiently to cause the overlapping and blending of the ink stripes, which will of course produce chromatic tinting of the ink supplied to the form. In like manner the vibration of the distributer may be entirely discontinued by shifting the block to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 in the manner heretofore described.

From the foregoing it will appear that I have produced a simple and highly-efficient multicolor printing press, equipped with means facilitating the corresponding positionin g of the ink-compartments, distributer-cylinders, and form, with means for effecting proper lateral distribution of ink without permitting the intermingling or blending of the different positive colors, and with novel regulating mechanism by means of which the lateral distribution of positive colors may be regulated, chromatic printing produced, or all vibration of the distributer stopped as desired by the operator without interfering with the continued operation of the press; but while the present embodiment of the invention appears at this time to be preferable I do not wish to limit myself to the Various details of construction illustrated and described, as, on the contrary, I reserve the right ICC IIO

to efiect such changes, modifications, and variations thereof as may be properly embraced within the scope of the protection prayed.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a graduated presscylinder, and a distributer-shaft having gradnations corresponding to the graduations of the cylinder, of a distributing-cylinder comprising adjustable cylinder-sections mounted upon the shaft and adapted to be set by the graduations thereof, means for setting a type form or plate upon the press cylinder by the graduations thereof, to secure the proper relation between the form and distributingcylinder, a subdivided ink-fountain designed to contain ink of difierent colors, and means for transferring ink from the fountain to the distributing-cylinder and from said distributing-cylinder to the type-form.

2. In aprinting-press,the combination with a graduated ink-fountain, a graduated distributer-shaft, and a graduated press-cylinder, the latter being designed for the reception of the type form or plate, andthe grad uations of the several graduated elements being correlative, of adjustable partitions for the fountain, adjustable disks constituting a distributencylinder for the distributer-shaft, adjustable means for securing the form or plate upon the cylinder, distributing-rolls intermediate of the fountain and distributingcylinder, and form-rolls intermediate of the distributing-cylinder and form.

3. In a printing-press,the combination with an ink-fountain, a press-cylinder, distributing-rolls, and form-rolls, of a vibratorylateral distributer, a swinging arm operatively related thereto, a vibrator, a regulator-block adjustable thereon, a regulating-screw disposed to shift said block, and a link having pivotal connection at its opposite ends with the regulator-block and swinging arm respectively.

4:. In a printing-press,the combination with an ink-fountain, a presscylinder, distributing-rolls, and form-rolls of a vibratory lateral distributer, driving and driven arms, said driven arm having an operative connection with the distributer, a vibrator fulcrumed intermediate of its ends, and links connected at their inner ends to the driving and driven arms, respectively, and at their outer ends to the vibrator at opposite sides of the axis thereof.

5. In a printing-press,the combination with an ink-fountain, a press-cylinder, distributing-rolls, and form-rolls, of a vibratory lateral distributer, oscillatory driving and driven arms, said driven arm having an operative connection with the distributer, and regulating mechanism disposed to effect an operative connection between the driving and driven arms.

6. In a printing-press,the combination with an ink-fountain, a press-cylinder, distributing-rolls, and form-rolls, of avibratory lateral distributer, oscillatory driving and driven arms, said driven arm having operative connection with the distributer, a vibrator operatively connected with the driving-arm and designed to be driven thereby, and a shiftable connection between said vibrator and the driven arm.

7. In a printing-press,the combination with an ink-fountain, a press-cylinder, distributing-rolls, and form-rolls, of a vibratory lateral distributer, driving and driven arms fulcrumed at their contiguous ends, one of said arms having operative connection with the distributer, a vibrator, links having connection at their opposite ends with the arms and the vibrator respectively, and a link-shifter constituting a connection between one of the links and the vibrator.

S. Inapriuting-press,thecombination with an ink-fountain, a press-cylinder, distributing-rolls, and form-rolls,of a vibratory lateral distributer, a driving-arm connected therewith, a vibrator fulcrumed at a point intermediate its ends, and provided with an arcuate guideway intersecting the axis of movement of the vibrator, a regulator-block movable in said guideway, a link connected at its opposite ends to said block and to the driven arm respectively,and driving mechanism connected to one end of the vibrator.

9. Inaprinting-press,the combinationwith an ink-fountain, a press-cylinder, distributing-rolls, and form-rolls, of a vibratory lateral distributer, driving and driven arms having a common fulcrum at their contiguous ends, the driven arm being connected to the vibratory distributer to effect the vibration thereof without effecting its rotary movement, a vibrator fulcrumed at a point intermediate of its ends and having an arcuate guideway intersecting the axis of the vibrator, a regulator-block movable in the guideway, links connected at their inner ends to the driving and driven arms, and at their outer ends to the vibrator and regulator-block respectively, a regulating-screw connected to the regulator-block to shift the same, and a swinging bearing for said screw.

10. A lateral distributer for multicolorprinting presses, comprising a distributershaft provided with a keyway, a plurality of disks loosely mounted on saidshaft, each of said disks being provided with a key-socket having a reduced internally-threaded portion, and a key located within the key-socket and comprising a cylindrical body portion, a reduced threaded end engaging the threaded portion of the socket and extending into the keyway, and a reduced squared end at the opposite extremity of the cylindrical body portion,and a removable key-section designed to be inserted into the key-socket of the disk and to engage the reduced squared end of the.

key proper.

11. In a printing-press, the combination with a vibratory lateral distributer, driving mechanism, and an oscillatory vibrator, of connecting devices connecting the vibrator at opposite sides of its pivot with the distributer and driving mechanism respectively,one of said connecting devices having adjustable connection with the vibrator.

12. In a printing-press, the combination witha vibratory lateral distributer, and an oscillatory vibrator having connection at opposite sides of its pivot with the distributor and driving mechanism, respectively, ofa regulating device adjustable upon the oscillatory vibrator, said regulating device being arranged to shift the connection between the distributer and vibrator.

13. In a printing-press, the combination with a vibratory lateral distributor, driving mechanism, and an oscillatory vibrator connected at opposite sides of its pivot to the distribnterand driving mechanism,respectively, of a regulator-block adjustable upon the vibrator and constituting a part of one of the connections, and means for shifting said block.

14. In a printing-press, the combination with a vibratory lateral distribnter, and driving mechanism, of an arm connected to the distributor, a separate independentlymovable arm connected to the driving mechanism, and an oscillatory vibrator connected to said arms at opposite sides of its pivot, the connection with one of said arms being adjustable.

15. In a printingpress, the combination with a vibratory lateral distributer and driving mechanism, of independent oscillatory arms having a common pivot and connected to the regulator and driving mechanism respectively, and regulating mechanism disposed to transmit motion from one arm to the other, said mechanism being arranged to adjust the relative throw of the arms.

16. In a printing-press, the combination with a vibratory lateral distributor and driving mechanism, of independent oscillatory arms having a common pivot and connected respectively to the regulator and driving mechanism, an oscillatory vibrator having connection at opposite sides of its pivot with said arms, and means carried by the vibrator for shifting one of said connections to regulate the relative throw of the arms.

17. A lateral distributer for multicolorprinting presses comprising a distributorshaft provided with a keyway, of a plurality of disks loosely mounted on said shaft, each of said disks being provided with a key-socket, a key located within the key-socket and extended into the keyway, and a removable keysection designed to be inserted into the keysocket of the disk to engage the key proper.

18. A lateral distributor for multicolorprinting presses comprising a distributorshaft provided with a keyway, a plurality of disks loosely mounted on said shaft, each of said disks being provided with a key-socket having a reduced terminal threaded portion, and a key located within the key-socket and comprising a cylindrical body portion, a reduced threaded end engaging the threaded portion of the socket and extended into the keyway, and a reduced squared end at its opposite extremity.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own Ihave hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN EDWARD GAPS.

Witnesses:

C. L. BURROUGHS, M. O. REID. 

